Ch.137Chapter 137. Is This Right? (2)

‘Could there be someone like that in the Black Shadow Corps?’

Ordin was blankly staring at the red flames adorning the sky.

If they weren’t in the middle of battle, it would have been a scene worth appreciating with a “how beautiful” remark.

Fiery, brilliant flames lingered like afterimages across the sky.

Screech-!

The protagonist painting flames across the sky was a Black Shadow Corps member dressed in a black uniform.

A man with flowing long red hair, seeming to fly through the sky.

Until now, he had no idea that someone with such abilities existed in the Black Shadow Corps.

As soon as the battle with the monsters began, the man appeared as if he’d been waiting and effortlessly cut down hundreds of wyverns.

Each time he swung his flame-engulfed spear, the wyverns couldn’t resist the blazing fire and fell to the ground in droves.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he was single-handedly stopping almost all the wyverns.

“Everyone maintain formation!”

Ordin tore his gaze from the man rampaging in the sky and looked ahead again.

With their biggest concern—the aerial wyverns—being handled firmly by one person, the rest became much easier.

Following Ordin’s command, the knights strengthened their formation and pointed their swords toward the charging monsters.

Dozens of wolves rushed in fiercely but couldn’t break through the knights’ solid defensive formation.

Far from breaking through, the wolves lost their lives as helplessly as falling leaves and tumbled to the ground.

It wasn’t just the wolves.

No matter what monster charged in, the O’Neil Kingdom knights’ sturdy formation never collapsed.

Behind them, the mages continuously cast area-effect spells on the monsters.

Even though the monsters positioned spike-shelled turtles with magic immunity at the front, there was a limit to their effectiveness.

The monsters were helplessly overwhelmed by the magic raining down beyond the turtles’ shells.

“Just maintain this formation!”

Ordin shouted loudly to everyone in a hopeful tone.

If things continued like this, they could definitely hold the line.

‘I wonder if the other sides are holding up well.’

Ordin even had the luxury to think about other battlefields.

**

Swish-

As a sharp chill spread, the trolls that had been charging with surprising speed for their size froze in place.

Clang- Clang- Clang-

As soon as the trolls froze, projectiles flew in from all directions, precisely shattering their heads.

The headless troll bodies didn’t even fall forward but remained frozen in place.

‘We’ve gained the upper hand.’

Hans of the Western Alliance thought to himself as he watched the monsters struggling to advance.

Though he didn’t voice it aloud as it might be premature, if things continued this way, they could certainly hold these creatures back.

Lady Yuria’s ice walls, which had been constantly breaking at one point, were no longer shattering.

That meant the monsters weren’t able to advance forward anymore.

‘How can just two people change the situation so dramatically!’

Hans was freshly experiencing why the presence of exceptional fighters was so important in battle.

The saying that one top-tier mage was better than thousands of soldiers wasn’t just empty words.

He was witnessing it firsthand with his own eyes.

“We’re almost there!!”

“Waaah!”

The soldiers around Hans cheered in response to his shout.

Not just Hans, but all the soldiers could feel it.

Their victory was within reach.

**

‘He’s become even stronger than before.’

Lois maintained a solid stance as he watched the Black Shadow Corps leader “dancing” in front of him.

The Black Shadow Corps leader was demonstrating a perfect sword dance in the middle of the battlefield, surrounded by monsters.

Each time he swung his sword, at least dozens of monsters died in a single strike.

The black energy released from his black sword was so intense it might be mistaken for black magic, but surprisingly, no impure energy could be felt.

“He exceeds the rumors I’ve heard.”

Milia, who rarely spoke first, commented as she watched the Black Shadow Corps leader’s sword dance.

There was no need for him to step forward and deal with the monsters, but the Black Shadow Corps leader said he wanted to and went ahead to cut them down alone.

Thanks to the already solid defensive formation, the number of monsters reaching the army’s defensive line was steadily decreasing.

At this rate, they could even advance forward instead of just defending.

“Indeed.”

“He truly is a dangerous one.”

Milia murmured quietly as she watched Ryuyeong’s solo performance.

Lois didn’t respond to Milia’s comment about him being “dangerous.”

Lois also felt that the Black Shadow Corps leader possessed strength equal to or greater than a national knight commander.

He was certainly strong enough to be classified as a “dangerous element.”

However, in the current situation, his strength wasn’t a threat to the Empire but rather its power.

No, not just the Empire—the same applied to the entire continent.

After all, the Black Shadow Corps had been keeping Satan in check on their own for a long time.

“This incident will completely change the image of the Black Shadow Corps.”

Lois muttered to himself as he drew the sword he had planted in the ground.

The number of enemies had decreased to the point where maintaining a shield was no longer necessary.

The end of this battle was gradually approaching.

**

‘Why hasn’t he shown up?’

Erika stepped carefully while maintaining heightened vigilance of her surroundings.

Despite her caution, the area around her was deathly quiet.

Not a single monster commonly found in the northern forests of the continent had appeared.

They were probably all serving as Satan’s soldiers, participating in the ongoing battle.

“Phew.”

Erika climbed onto a tree to catch her breath after running for a while.

Unlike other Black Shadow Corps captains, Erika wasn’t actively participating in the battle.

Her abilities weren’t well-suited for combat to begin with.

Erika, skilled at perfectly concealing all traces and tracking others, had difficulty making significant contributions in open combat, as she had realized during the Crescen Academy attack.

Knowing this, the leader had assigned her a different mission instead of combat.

While the battle with Satan’s army was raging, she was to infiltrate enemy territory and locate Satan’s headquarters.

At first, Erika thought she wouldn’t need to be so cautious with her mission.

Satan would surely appear at one of the three battlefields, and once his presence was confirmed, she could move around with less tension.

But no signal of Satan being spotted on the battlefield had come.

Not even a sighting of Arte, Satan’s only human subordinate.

‘Where the hell are these bastards?’

So Erika was advancing forward, erasing all traces of herself with utmost care.

To find the hideout where Satan might be staying.

After catching her breath briefly, Erika started moving again.

This was her first time venturing this deep into the north.

‘I think I’m almost there.’

Satan’s monster army was intimidating but also careless.

Monsters that normally never gathered in one place were now moving together, inevitably leaving all kinds of traces.

Erika, skilled at tracking such traces, was gradually moving upward following the monster army’s trail.

Looking for the place where they first gathered and began moving south.

And now, even without careful observation, numerous monster traces were visible around her.

That meant she was nearly at their gathering point.

‘It must be around here.’

Erika took each step carefully while concealing herself even more meticulously.

The fact that neither Satan nor Arte had been spotted on the battlefield meant it wouldn’t be strange at all if they were here.

‘Oh!’

Following a giant troll’s footprints, Erika unconsciously stopped at the sight before her.

She had finally found it.

The monsters’ initial gathering point.

A spectacle of countless footprints.

‘This is it.’

Erika calmly surveyed her surroundings, checking if anyone was nearby.

For now, no living beings registered on her senses.

Or so she thought.

‘This feeling?’

It was a subtle sensation she had felt once before.

The feeling of the barrier that Landgar had used during the Crescen Academy incident.

A sense of something unnatural despite nothing being detected.

Tap-

Erika immediately moved toward where the strange sensation was coming from.

Just as she had almost reached the source of the unusual feeling:

“The preparations are complete.”

Thump-

Erika instantly froze at the low voice that was distant but clearly audible.

The owner of this low voice was obvious.

The protagonist of all these incidents, Satan.

“I want to go with you too! Lord Satan!”

“You need to make up for your failure.”

“…Ah.”

The identity of the person conversing with Satan was also obvious.

His only human subordinate, Arte Flora.

Grr-

Upon seeing Arte, Erika felt anger rising within her and suppressed her breathing even more.

‘Where are they going? Are they heading to the battlefield?’

“Keep them occupied here as much as possible.”

Whoosh-

With those final words, Satan vanished from the spot.

‘Keep them occupied here…?’

Erika felt suspicion welling up as she watched Satan disappear with those cryptic words.

If he meant to keep them occupied here, did that mean he wasn’t going to the battlefield?

‘I need to inform the leader right away.’

Erika’s eyes sparkled, having caught valuable information.